March 18th
by meaganl124
Summary: After an average day at the Host Club, the members notice how the twins have been acting strange all day, and when confronted about it- they mention the date three years ago, and a girl named Mayu Hayashi. Who is this girl exactly and how did she grab such a strong hold over the twins back then? What does she mean to them? And what exactly happened on March 18 three years prior?
1. Anniversary

It was an average day for the Host Club, and the day's events had just ended, each member was preparing to go home, except the twins.

Hikaru and Kaoru were simply staring out the window to the clock tower, looking depressed and deep in thought.

Honey stopped his chattering to Mori, Tamaki stopped going on and on about plans for a new Host Club special event, and even Kyoya ceased writing in his black book.

Haruhi turned to the upperclassmen and asked, "What's up with them?"

Kyoya pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, "Who knows. But that attitude of theirs has been around ever since we got to the club room, and their regulars were extremely upset at those two's behavior." He sighed. "Now I'll have to send some sort of apology to the girls. I just hope it isn't another one of those mock fights in order to gain attention."

"No…that's not it." Tamaki stepped closer, putting a hand on his best friend's shoulder. "Their world may be small- but I think they've begun to get over those silly fights in order to gain interest from others."

"They were like this in class today as well." Haruhi put out, and glanced over to her classmates. They weren't angry or disruptive like they would have been expected to act like if they were upset over something…they were completely out of character for them…silent and sad, as if something no one knew about was bothering them.

"Takashi, do you think Hika-chan and Kao-chan will be okay?"

Mori didn't even utter a sound, examining the two boys.

Haruhi put her things down and announced she'd try to get to the bottom of this and as she began to walk away, Tamaki grinned and said, "Look, my daughter is going off to check on her older brothers! What a loving sister!"

Kyoya rolled his eyes but watched intently, wanting to see the outcome.

"Hikaru, Kaoru- are you guys feelings okay? You've been acting weird all day." Haruhi approached them by the window.

"March 18." They muttered quietly in unison, still not answering Haruhi's question.

"What?" Haruhi asked, confused. "Today's date, what about it?" She tilted her head to the side a bit.

The redheads whispered, "That day…in our 8th year…The day she disappeared."

"Who?"

"Hayashi Mayu." They spoke the girl's name with such despair, Haruhi's heart went out to them.

"Ms. Hayashi of the Hayashi group in Japan. Well established family, too bad they sold all their businesses and moved to someplace in Taiwan I believe."

"When did they leave Kyo-chan?" Honey questioned cutely.

"About 3 years ago I would say."

Haruhi thought to herself that this girl, on this day, must have moved away or something, but why would her family, if they were well known here and implied by Kyoya's words to be very successful, why were the twins so distraught over this. Wouldn't they be able to take a plane or something and visit her? Or at least keep in contact with her?

Who was this Mayu girl to them anyway? Did the twins even talk to anyone 3 years ago? It was before Tamaki came around, so the twins must have been still completely brutal towards everyone else, thinking they were all stupid and not worth associating with.

"Was she a friend of yours?" Haruhi inquired delicately, now next to Hikaru.

The twins were thoughtful for a moment in the complete and utter silence of Music Room 3, then spoke aloud, "She was much more than that."

Haruhi studied her two friends, growing aggravated at how she was getting nowhere. Was this how a lawyer felt when they were losing their case?

"Aw did Hika and Kao-chan like Hayashi?" Honey giggled, smiling.

"You could say that Honey-senpai. She was incredibly special to us."

"So was she like, one of your pets to fool around with?"

The twins turned on Haruhi, "Of course not! Quite the opposite in fact."

"She was the first person we actually really liked after that maid. She was different; she didn't care about how cruel we were. She didn't even pressure us to be her friend like other idiots in our class." Kaoru spoke of her fondly.

So if the Hosts had asked class 1-A about this Hayashi girl, they would most likely remember her, because people didn't really switch classes in Ouran.

"She couldn't tell us apart at first, but she gradually learned to…the very first person to be able to see our differences- only Haruhi could tell us apart by a single glance though." They turned to her, smiling, but Haruhi saw their eyes- and how saddened they seemed.

"She must've been an amazing girl." Tamaki spoke up, praising this person he'd never even met before in his life.

"She was…" Hikaru trailed off and looked down at the marble floor tiles.

"How did you meet her then?" Haruhi seemed drawn into this, wanting to know more about this mystery girl that got the twins to open their hearts, if just a bit, to her. She wanted to know most of all though, what had happened to make the boys raise up their walls once again, because if this girl had stayed, maybe the boys would have joined the Host Club more agreeably.

"Well…do you really want to hear the story?" the twins questioned their friends in complete harmony.

They all nodded eagerly, besides Kyoya and Mori who were calm about the whole thing. Kyoya must already know what happened to the girl, he knew everything about everyone. Especially his friends and their customers.

That got Haruhi thinking. What if Hayashi Mayu had still gone to Ouran today- would she be the twins' regular? Would she have gone for something like this? The twins had expressed she was different from other girls at Ouran, that much was clear but…

"It's a bit of a long story, and it's about time we were picked up- do you really wish to have our chauffeurs wait for us?"

Tamaki shrugged, "It'll be fine- they know we're here."

Haruhi narrowed her eyes…Damn these rich people.

Tamaki widened his eyes then and turned on Haruhi and said, "Hey, do you want a ride home with me Haruhi?" his eyes sparkled eagerly.

"No thanks senpai, your limo would cause way too much attention in front of the apartment complex." Haruhi shuddered, thinking about it now, and remembering how crowds of people had surrounded her friends because they were rich and her neighborhood was poor.

"But Haruhiii," Tamaki whined, and Kyoya held a hand up to silence his idiotic friend…why was this moron his best friend again?

"Haruhi, it may be dark by the time this story is complete. As a member of the Host Club, we cannot permit you to walk home alone at night, it is much too dangerous. One of us will give you a ride, and that is final."

"Alright fine." Haruhi snapped. "But can we discuss this later? I actually want to hear Hikaru and Kaoru's story!" she was peeved alright. Those rich people got everything they wanted without lifting a finger. Just the thought of it made Haruhi annoyed. She was more used to it by now though, and she accepted her friends for who they were. They cared about her, so if it mattered that much to them- in the end, she'd let them give her a ride home, even though she'd have been more comfortable taking the bus or something.

The twins seemed horrified by Haruhi walking home from school for some reason. Whenever she had brought it up before they didn't look so…frightened. Was it something to do with the date?

Whatever it is, Haruhi shrugged it off.

The twins looked around at everyone, noticing they were all ready, ears open for listening to whatever they had to say. Hikaru and Kaoru exchanged a glance, as if to say- should we really talk about this?

As if it was a painful subject. But they nodded, reading each other's minds and began.

"It all started with a letter and a declaration…"

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A/N: Hey guys! A new story is up now! It's not the Tamaki story I've been working on that's kind of like a sequel to my ever popular one-shot A Real Little Miracle which is a stand-alone piece, but I like the twins and this has been on my to-write list for a little bit, so I took a break from watching and reading animes and mangas to do this. (: Hope you enjoy! It won't be terribly long, because I have other projects going on right now, but I do hope that you'll-

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	2. Mayu

"Hey Kaoru, look- right on time." Hikaru looked out the window overlooking "the spot" where the girls would come to meet up with them, and they would rip apart their hopes and love letters in front of their very eyes…in that exact spot.

"Hmm? Oh yeah, she is. Another average girl huh- a love letter exactly like all those others. How much more pathetic can these girls be? Don't they realize we don't want to associate with anyone else besides ourselves?" Kaoru grinned.

"Well, we better get going." Hikaru began walking towards the door. "It's rude to keep a lady waiting." He turned his head back to his brother and smirked.

When they got there, Hikaru went up to the girl while Kaoru hid, as the letter had been intended for Hikaru.

"I'm sorry, were you waiting long?"

The girl snapped her head up and looked at Hikaru with big doe-like gray eyes. She wore her curly chesnut hair with two small braids from the front going around to the back and making a tie with the braid itself. It was actually really cute and innocent, and there were no stupid pigtails on this girl.

God, wearing those pigtails and dresses when he and Kaoru were younger…Hikaru wanted to shudder just thinking about it.

"No, not really Hikaru." The girl smiled, her obvious nervousness gone the moment she spoke.

"I'm sorry, but I'm Kaoru- you must've gotten our desks confused-" The same lie, as usual.

The poor girl looked let down, but then smiled again. "I guess I need glasses then, huh? I must've gotten them confused because I couldn't see right." She giggled as if it were funny. Was she this stupid?

"But I think you don't need glasses to cover up those pretty eyes. I've liked you for a long time actually, so do you think you could like me instead of my brother? Besides Hikaru likes another girl at the school."

The girl thought for less than a fraction of a second before saying what the twins never expected, "No! I can't just change my feelings for someone! I like Hikaru. And Kaoru seems nice too, but I wouldn't be an awful person and switch gears like that! That would mean I didn't even care about ether one of you if I could just pick one or the other and it wouldn't matter who I hurt in the process! And if that means Hikaru won't return my feelings, then I guess I won't have him at all! But I refuse to go out with his brother when the one I like is Hikaru."

Hikaru widened his eyes, not knowing what to say. She had a reply unlike any other girl before her. And the weird thing was, she had said all the right things. But the thing is, girls usually didn't care who they got because they didn't know the difference in any way between the brothers. This girl was no different in that aspect, because she thought Hikaru was Kaoru at the moment, but yet…

Hikaru looked down at the girl and said, "You're Mayu Hayashi of the Hayashi group correct? You sit only 2 desks in front of me."

Mayu nodded. "Yes, that's right."

"Well Mayu, I'll see you in class then tomorrow. I'll move on if you do, sound fair?"

"Um, well, you see- I'm not giving up! Even if Hikaru likes someone else! I really want to get to know him! And you too, Kaoru. I just have a crush on your brother, but I'd like to get to know both of you."

Hikaru spun around on Mayu. "Hayashi, come over to my brother and me tomorrow- and we'll play a little game." He grinned fakely.

"Alright sure!" Mayu agreed. "Bye Kaoru!" and she ran off.

The real Kaoru came out from behind the tree and looked to his brother as if to say, what was that?!

Hikaru shrugged. "C'mon Kaoru, let's go do a little bit of research on Ms. Hayashi here."

"But Hikaru, do you actually mean we're going to hang out with her tomorrow?"

"Nah, we'll play the 'Which One is Hikaru Game,' and when she gets it wrong, then we'll rip up the letter in front of her. All it will be is a delayed response to what should have happened just now." The brothers walked off laughing.

…The next day…

Hikaru and Kaoru were eating lunch in the cafeteria when they spotted Mayu talking to an upperclassman in the hall…Ootori.

He patted her on the forehead affectionately and she looked extremely happy as he did so, and then he sent her off to go get her lunch and he walked out of view down the hall.

Hikaru and Kaoru had done extensive research last night and hadn't found out anything on Mayu and that Kyoya guy. Did she like him too? What a brat. But then, why was the overcalculative upperclassmen so…friendly towards her.

Mayu bought her lunch and then spotted the boys together and across their table asked if she could sit with them, and they lazily agreed.

As she sat, the others began whispering. No one actually got so close to the Hitachiin twins without being burned.

She took a bite of her sandwich and when she finished chewing she asked what the game was.

They told her and told her she'd have the remainder of the lunch period to answer, and f she answered correctly, then she could get to know them for real. But the twins knew she'd get it wrong, so they didn't think Mayu would actually get her wish.

They all ate their lunches in silence, and with only a handful of minutes left in the break Mayu wiped her mouth with her napkin, stood up and pointed at Kaoru and announced, "This one is Kaoru, and that one's Hikaru."

The twins narrowed their eyes at her. "No, you got it wrong."

"No, I'm always right." Mayu chided them. "Even when I'm wrong, I'm right."

"How does that make any sense?" Kaoru asked angrily.

"It's not supposed to, you dummy. P.S I saw you behind the tree yesterday. You really should work out a new method, before someone catches on to you." She tossed her hair over her shoulder nonchalantly. Suddenly her character since yesterday had completely reversed itself!

Hikaru stood up now too. "Hey, just who do you think you're talking to-"

"I didn't really have a crush on you at all Hikaru. And I know it was you yesterday too. Even if you switch hair parts or whatever, you don't really disguise your voice really well. Plus, you come off as the more dictating of the two of you, so it was really quite obvious sitting here which one was which based off how you two interacted, even when you didn't speak."

The brothers fumed, how could some stupid girl come in here and basically kick them to the ground in their circus and essentially say that she was running the show now?

"Now, since I've won." Her evil aura was gone once more replaced by a cute, smiling…victorious one. "You guys have to hang out with me. We'll be just the very best friends Ouran has ever seen now won't we?" she smirked coldly.

The twins looked on at her, horrified. The tables were turned, and they didn't like it all. How could this girl even tell them apart? She explained it well, but no one had ever even thought of it like that, or was just too dull to see the differences. Whatever, when she stopped being interesting they'd ditch her. That day would surely come. Maybe she just wanted to get close to them because of her family.

It seemed like she was pressuring the twins to be her friend, but she wasn't, as the boys would later come to see. She just wanted to get to know them a bit, and they were free to leave any time, even though she never spoke it aloud, it was pretty obvious in the subtext. They looked down on everyone, Mayu would not be any different…right?

No, she was just another girl at Ouran. Who knew when she was being herself anyway, the way she had just acted- it was like she had a split personality or something! She was actually sort of scary for such a small, cute little innocent looking human being.

"Well, are you two coming or not? We have to get back to class." Mayu said indignantly, looking at the pair in exasperation, but something inside her eyes showed that she didn't mean to sound so awful, but she had to be different enough to get them to open up to her and be her friends, even though the barrier was there- Mayu wanted to break it down.

"Yeah." They muttered and got up to follow after her, everyone's eyes on the newly formed trio.

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A:N: If I get at least a few reviews on each chapter, I'll try to upload another chapter on the same day. I really like Mayu :D Who would you prefer her with- Kaoru or Hikaru? ;)

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	3. The Mansion

The twins despised her. They had never met someone like her. A person who could actually be a match for their pranks and attitude, and she, with ease, could be even worse than they would have ever dreamt possible. It seemed every time they could deal out some cards, purposely giving her the bad ones that she could literally spin the table around so their plan to cheat would backfire majorly.

It wasn't long before they began to see her in a more positive light instead of a negative one where they were forced to hang out with her. She was another person, more like them then they would have figured from that first meeting, despite being in the same class since their elementary years. They knew her, without even knowing her- but now, because of her own stubbornness and cunningness, they were finding out just how she worked. It was scary, actually letting someone in their group, even if unwillingly, because the closer Mayu and the twins got, they learned more and more about the weaknesses that both of them hid behind their rich facades. Every single person in the school hid behind a façade in fact. But to take the time to learn about the person behind that curtain, and still take them and keep them with you, was a treasure that the twins had begun to discover in Mayu. She definitely got under their skin, but, they weren't minding it as much anymore. They didn't even care about pushing her away like they did everyone else, but then again, no one ever got farther than the game to tell them apart. But they liked her as much as that maid from long ago, because she was different, and she saw right through them in a heartbeat. She was something alright.

Two weeks had passed, and now it seemed every student in their class was paying attention to them whenever they spoke to each other.

Whispers went around such as, "I can't believe Mayu, of all people, is hanging out with them! She's way too cute and sweet for them!" or "Hayashi gets both Hikaru and Kaoru- and we get rejected- how is that fair in the slightest!?" or "I liked her though (most boys in Class 1-A did), leave it to those twins to steal away the cutest and smartest girl in our class." Or even from the spiteful girls, "I hate her. I hope she gets hit by a truck or something."

One afternoon while Mayu and the pair were talking, Kaoru had had enough of all the hateful things they were saying, and it wasn't like they were even talking quietly so they wouldn't hear, they were loud and obnoxious and it clearly was beginning to get to Mayu.

After hanging out with Mayu every day doing homework together and spending freetime in class together, the twins had begun to feel a certain draw towards her, and very actually, sort of protective of her. However strange it may sound, it was even weirder to them. They hadn't realized they'd begun to lower their defenses with her, though their classmates did when they spotted the trio laughing together and such. Funny how much had changed in two weeks.

The twins were intrigued by how different she was, and they liked it. She was sweet and caring and innocent, but she could be a real demon lord when she wanted to be. She made it clear who was in charge when need be, but there wasn't really a leader in their group, they were all equal. Just when she got riled up and angry, it was different to be treated in such a way, only the maid had even been so harsh and frank with them, and so they followed her lead.

One day while walking around campus together she had even said, "I don't know if anyone else will ever be able to tell you two apart." As she munched casually on a bunny apple. They suddenly remembered their maid's blunt words…just before she disappeared forever. Kaoru and Hikaru a week ago would have said they wanted Hayashi to get lost, but now…for some reason, they didn't exactly want that anymore. They actually…liked her. But what sort of like, and how much, that wasn't clear yet.

But Mayu's tough act was clearly a façade, only to get the two of them to shape up, Kaoru had realized that already, but clearly his brother was even less open to interactions with others than he was. Because of Mayu, Kaoru was actually beginning to see the differences between Hikaru and himself.

"Hey! Would all of you morons kindly shut your faces!" Kaoru shouted standing up, his hands on the desk, not able to contain his anger any longer.

"Kaoru-" Hikaru looked to his brother, shocked. But everyone else in the classroom was stunned into silence. The twins hardly ever acknowledged anyone else's existence, and when they talked about the twins, it seemed they only blocked it out. But now, since the others were hating on Mayu, that's why they were acting so defensive?

"Can't you idiots talk about something else to fulfill your boring lives? Leave us and our friends out of it!" he practically yelled. So now Mayu was a friend?

Mayu looked downwards towards the floor, her face pink, looking rather embarrassed, but her sadness was quickly fading away to be replaced by a small smile. So she was finally getting through to them, gradually. It wasn't taking as long as she had thought.

Just then the next teacher entered the room and asked for everyone to return to their seats and without uttering a single word, Mayu got up and went the few seats forward to her desk, and looked straight at her notes the entire class period. Her hair was completely down today and straightened, so it was impossible to see through her curtain of hair to her face, even from in front because her head was downwards.

The two redheads studied her, their…friend, wondering how she was feeling now.

After the final bell rang, just as Mayu was walking to her limo, the twins caught up to her, shouting after her.

She had opened the door to the car and put her bag inside already by the time they caught up.

"Hey…want to come over to our place today? We'll give you a ride there and home, so it'll be okay!" Hikaru offered nervously, looking away and angry…but that's just because he was Hikaru.

"You could stay for dinner…um, if you wanted." Kaoru put out eagerly then trailed off awkwardly.

Mayu looked at them blankly for a moment, and they wondered if their new thought on her was wrong and if she was really an idiot after all.

She leaned into the car and got her driver's attention. "Tamatsu, I'll be missing the family dinner tonight, tell Akito and Yuuichi I'm sorry."

"But Ms. Fuyumi will be especially upset-"

"She'll see me in a few weeks anyway probably knowing her. I don't know when I'll be back, but make sure Mother and Father don't worry. It's not like they have any other kids to fuss over, so can you please do this for me Tamatsu, you are my driver and bodyguard."

"Fine, but only because it is the Hitachiin brothers. If you need anything, you know my number."

"Yes _Dad,_" she teased lightly. "I'll see you later." She closed the door and he drove off.

"You had important family dinner plans- I'm sorry." The brothers looked rather guilty now.

"Nah, it's not that important. Really, only Fuyumi will be upset. Her brothers won't really miss me anyway."

"Oh, in that case- let's go." And they walked to their limo.

They all got in, and from what Mayu could see of the driver, he seemed a little taken back at how the twins were bringing a friend over.

They pulled into the driveway up to the main entrance, and the moment they all got out; Mayu looked up at the large estate and politely exclaimed, "It's so grand!" Even though hers was probably just as much so.

"It's okay I guess." Hikaru shrugged.

"C'mon, let's go take a tour of the house!" Mayu tugged them along excitedly, and at first the twins seemed bothered, but then, they actually smiled, and began to pull _her_ around the home, showing her every room, and somehow they would tell lengthy stories about them in this house, and so, Mayu managed to pull back another 20 layers without really even lifting a finger. She was simply being herself, and that was all that was needed. She wasn't using them, they weren't using her. They just liked to be around her, and she was an open book when one studied her face closely, as the twins had already adapted to do to try to get a better image of her, to get to know her more. So she made it clear she liked them too, just as much. They were all actually friends.

The twins just had to make sure nothing ever happened to her. If something did, they would never forgive themselves, and who knows if after actually opening their hearts to her, if something happened, if they'd ever be able to open them again?

"We have about an hour and a half before dinner is ready, should we tour the grounds?" Kaoru suggested after they all had relaxed in their bedroom for about 20 minutes.

"Yes!" Mayu sat straight up so fast, she practically made a whoosh sound with her hair. "Let's go right now! C'mon hurry!" she ran down the hall, and based on her memory, she managed to find the stairs. The boys quickly caught up and each took one of her hands and laughing, they all went outside. They were by the horses when Mayu suggested riding, and that way the tour would be much quicker.

They quickly agreed, realizing it would be the only way to see the whole grounds in time for supper, saddled up, and headed out.

After a formal tour, that managed to take up only about half of the time they had left, Mayu began galloping off down the horse trail.

"Hey! Just what do you think you're doing, idiot!" Hikaru shouted.

"Racing! We still have 40 minutes before supper, so let's have a competition!" she giggled, and kept going at that speed.

"Alright, fine, if that's the way you want it!" Hikaru grinned and moments later, his horse was galloping after hers.

"Competition huh?" Kaoru seemed thoughtful, then just as Hikaru had, bounded after them both on his own steed.

"You're not going to catch me!" Mayu said, looking back for one moment, stupidly, only for her horse to take advantage of the moment, and run off the trail just a bit, into the trees and so Mayu crashed into the tree, but of course, the horse didn't, not really, and so she fell off and tumbled to the ground. The horse kept going, so Kaoru who dealt with the horses better, picked up speed on his own ride to catch the other one, while Hikaru stopped, dismounted, and ran over to Mayu, his heart in his throat.

"Mayu, are you okay?"

"Yeah." She sat up. "I just made a careless mistake, and got caught up in the excitement." She smiled at him even though it was clear she was holding back a cry of pain.

"What hurts?" Hikaru asked, kneeling beside her now, and noticed how her arms and legs were all scratched up, and it looked like her right ankle was swelling up. "Can you stand?"

"Of course! I didn't break anything." Mayu said with pride and stood, but she hissed standing on her right foot and practically fell into Hikaru's arms, who was right there beside her.

"Are you alright?" he asked again, his forehead pressed against hers as he held her up.

"My ankle, probably a twist or light sprain. I must've done something to it as I fell from the horse." She managed, quickly looking down, blushing, at how close his face was to hers.

Kaoru came back with the horse and looking at them, he frowned then said loudly, "I'll tie the rope to this one and pull it back with me as I ride. You take Mayu with you on your horse."

"Yeah. We should probably get back quickly anyway, we have to clean her up before dinner."

"Good idea."

They went as fast as the situation could allow back to the mansion.

Hikaru agreed to put the horses back and feed them and everything and Kaoru would bring Mayu inside to treat her wounds. She had light scratches all over her arms and legs, so a little antibacterial was all she needed there. As for the ankle, Kaoru put a bag of ice on it for about 10 minutes, and by then, Hikaru had returned and washed up, as did Kaoru while Mayu held the ice on her injury, and since Mayu looked perfectly ready for dinner anyway, and the swelling had gone down significantly, they just put the ice away and walked into the dining room together.

The servants noted how close the twins seemed to this guest and talked about it amongst themselves, at how they clearly had gained a friend, and even though it may be early for love, when they gotten close enough to her, would the brothers fight with each other for her? The female maids could see a love triangle in the near future and the thought of it made them excited. Something exciting would finally happen to their young masters!

Hikaru and Kaoru offered to ride in the limo there with her, but Mayu declined, saying she was tired, and she had to focus enough so by the time she got home she could do her homework.

"Thank you, you two. You're probably my best friends…and we've really only been hanging out for a little over two weeks. I guess I need more friends huh?" she seemed somehow embarrassed.

"No." the twins said. "You're our best friend. We don't want to share you."

Mayu looked at them, taking that statement in for a moment then chuckled and leaned over to kiss each of their cheeks.

"Both of you. Kaoru- for telling our classmates off, and Hikaru- on the trail. Both of you helped me so much in just one day. Thank you. You two are really sweet and protective underneath your tough shells aren't you?" she giggled. "I'll see you tomorrow!" she got in the limo waving, and they pulled out of the driveway and left. But Hikaru and Kaoru, mirroring each other's movements, both reached up their hands to touch the spot, where Mayu had kissed them. And as they touched their faces, they both smiled.

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A:N: Sorry if I'm moving along too quickly, but I said it wouldn't be TOO long. If you give me ideas though, I could extend it past the number of chapters I already have set for this story ;)

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	4. Bright Winter

Three months had passed. And with each day, the trio grew closer and closer, and the twins opened their hearts more and more. That day at the mansion had been back in late September. It had just turned to January, and the snow falling outside the classroom window down to the frozen ground made it evident that it was so. It was now the final term of the school year…so much had changed in almost four months.

Mayu looked to the window and watched the white snowflakes fall and join the white blanket covering the grass as one. She hated the wintertime. Well, not so much as hate, but that she would always be anxious for April, for spring, and for the new cherry blossoms on the trees. She enjoyed the springtime very much. And to think, in just a few more months that she would be in her final year at the middle school. She smiled to herself and tucked her waves behind her ear and continued to listen to the teacher's lecture, but she still doodled on the margins of her notebook all the things that would come with the springtime, touching a golden heart necklace she wore lightly as if it were the thing most dear to her. Clearly it held a lot of value for her.

Kaoru looked at Mayu gazing out the window, and thought of how beautiful she looked. Winter was a dead time, but Mayu hadn't dulled at all. She was as bright and spontaneous as a cherry blossom. He had nicknamed her 'Sakura' even though she hated it. Well, Hikaru and him had both come up with it. It was so strange. Seeing her sitting there, with her Ouran uniform, and her fair face hitting the soft light that came from outside…it made him want to stare at her forever. He had realized he had fallen for Mayu over the last break, during Christmas time, when they went over to the Hiitachin estate once more to celebrate together.

She was a delightful guest, according to his parents, as they had absolutely adored her. He knew they wished there were two of her so both boys could have a Mayu. Kaoru knew well enough to figure that his mother must've been thinking of the wedding gowns she could design for such a perfect girl as the only heir to the Hayashi clan.

Kaoru smiled thinking of how Christmas dinner went.

"Thank you for having me over for the holidays Mr. and Mrs. Hiitachin." Mayu bowed respectfully to the elders and Mrs. Hiitachin held her hands up and claimed it was no problem at all.

"What were you going to do over the break anyway?" Hikaru had asked Mayu at dinner.

She shrugged. "My parents had an important meeting to attend in Hong Kong, and they wanted to visit Taiwan I believe, to search for a vacation home or something." She looked down at her fork in her hand and stated, "I was going to spend my break alone at home with the servants, and visit my cousins for the actual holiday but-"

"You are welcome here anytime. Even if we are not around, please make yourself at home." Their father finally said something and Mayu seemed more surprised at what he had said then him talking for the first time ever since she'd met him a few nights ago.

"The boys will always be there to take you in! I'm sure they love your company and would never be able to see you so alone and desolate!" Mrs. Hiitachin smiled at her boys. "Isn't that right Hikaru? Kaoru?" she looked at the wrong one as she said each of their names and Mayu wanted to say something but she wasn't sure if it was her proper place.

Finally she announced softly, "The one closer to you is Kaoru, and the one directly across from me is Hikaru."

The Hiitachin family all looked to her in surprise. Mayu lifted her head and smiled gently.

"Ms. Hayashi, how can you tell?" their mother seemed shocked.

"Call me Mayu, Mrs. Hiitachin. And I just can." She went on to try to teach their parents about how to tell them apart and by the time the staff came to collect the dessert plates, the entire dining hall was filled with rich laughter from all five members of the dining table.

Mayu was given a guest room a few doors down from the twins' room, but about quarter past 1 that morning, she crept out of the room, down the hall, and into the boys' room.

She stood there quaking in fear, looking on to the lumps in the two beds pushed together to be one.

Just by looking at them, she began to breathe easier, but it was still too quiet.

Kaoru, who was a light sleeper, awoke when he heard the door click and realized someone had just left the room. He made sure to get out of bed and follow what he thought he had just seen without waking his brother.

He crept after the figure and in front of the main staircase, with a large stained glass window behind them, he grabbed their hand and stopped them from creeping around the house.

"Mayu?" he questioned in a whisper when he saw her face.

Her face broke his heart. She looked afraid of something. "What's wrong?"

"I…I just didn't want to be alone." She whimpered. "I'm always alone at home…and…" she trailed off and shivered.

Kaoru took her into his arms and held her close, immediately picking up on the fact she may in fact have some degree of monophobia- which was the fear of being alone. He wouldn't blame her either. With all he'd learned about her in the past few months, he knew she was on her own a lot. She rarely saw family, with the exception of her distant cousins every once in a while. The only people in her estate were servants, and of course, that bodyguard of hers- her chauffeur- Tamatsu? He was practically raising her it seemed.

"Don't tell Hikaru about my fear." Mayu whispered into his shoulder desperately. "I can't have him worry more about me than he already does. You're much more rational than he is- let's face it."

Kaoru pulled back and smiled devilishly at her. "C'mon!" and he tugged her gently and she followed, holding his hand tightly as they hurried downstairs.

"Kaoru- what are we-"

"Shhh." He hushed her. "It's an adventure." He pushed open the door to the kitchen and went over to the giant fridge and opened it up, the light from the refrigerator the only thing illuminating the room.

"Late night snack?" he motioned to the fridge, and Mayu grinned. Together, they dug through the foods until they found a small tub of ice cream enough for two people.

Together they ate it on the floor of the kitchen, in the dark, but they eventually got used to it and were able to see shapes and lines in the darkness. They even would take spoonfuls and feed each other. After they finished the tub, Kaoru took a post-it note from the center table and stuck it to the tub of ice cream and wrote- "For Hikaru" on it. He placed it back in the freezer as if it were the funniest prank and when he closed the freezer, he saw Mayu glaring at him her arms crossed over the chest and immediately Kaoru wondered if he should remove the note and throw it away, but then she broke out into a wide-toothed grin and stifling her laughter said, "Even when you're on your own- you still act like your brother! It's nice to know that despite how different you are from him when you're alone, you're still a lot like him."

Kaoru smirked. And together they traveled back upstairs. "Would you like me to join you in your room or would you rather sleep with my brother and me?"

Mayu yawned and murmured, "Whatever you want to do."

Figuring Hikaru would get too jealous if he woke up to find out his brother had abandoned him for a girl in the middle of the night, and not wanting to send Mayu back to her own room by herself, they ended up back in the twins' room, all three sleeping together.

When Hikaru awoke, he acted like Mayu alone was his Christmas present.

But the day only got better.

They opened their gifts, Mayu getting some custom-made clothes designed by the twins for Mayu, and seeing Mayu's delighted face as she pulled the fabrics out of the boxes, they gained confidence in their abilities to make clothes. "Oh my gosh- when you two become professional designers like your mom, can you please make me tons more of clothes? I love it! I can't wait for next Christmas then if it means that more of your gorgeous designs will appear!"

The twins' faces lit up as she said that, and their hearts soared.

Her other gift was a pure golden necklace in the shape of a heart with engraved roses around the edges and her first name in the center.

She had Hikaru put it on for her, and the boys were even more thrilled when she announced that she would never, ever take it off.

She had gotten the boys, things she claimed 'were nowhere as good' as their gifts for her. Prank kits, designing drawing pads, and many other miscellaneous things.

She dragged them out into the first snow of the holidays a few days later, and they together built a snowman and three forts to have snowball fights. Mayu had cheated though, however like a sly fox she was, by taking multiple white balls of fluff and chasing the boys around loudly and throwing the snowballs at them. She was subtle that one.

It was now that Kaoru realized he had fallen for her. If he was too young to know what love was, he did not know- but he knew he definitely felt affection for her greater than any other ; a kind of love he had never felt before- because it was romantic.

He knew Hikaru felt the same, based on how he was looking at Mayu too, Kaoru turned and made sure that the sibling behind him was still watching her. The only difference was that Hikaru was much more dense that way. But he had actually opened himself more to Mayu it seemed than Kaoru did. On things Kaoru couldn't dare to do, Hikaru would open up and do it for her. It was like…even though Kaoru was the one who was aware he was in love with Mayu, it stopped him from pursuing her blindly like he used to, because he didn't want to push her away. However Hikaru loved even more blindly, and was completely open with her. If that made sense.

Mayu…was she even aware of what she had cast them under? Did she know just how far they were willing to go for her?

Kaoru knew that in the end though, no matter how hard he fought, it would be Hikaru who would emerge victorious with Mayu, as Kaoru was willing to sacrifice his own happiness for his brother's, no matter what. If he ever felt the way about someone else that he did Mayu, he doubted it would ever be the same level of devotion however, he knew he would probably still let Hikaru win. He didn't want to lose Mayu, and he didn't want to lose his brother, and if they could be happy together, then he should be happy to see them happy…shouldn't he?

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A/N: Sorry it's been a few weeks! Been busy with life, sigh. But I managed to stay up and write this for you guys before you all lose complete interest and hate me. :O

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As usual, send me ideas to extend the story, because at most there is another 3, maybe 4 if I can stretch it enough, chapters left. Leave your comments on you ideas to contribute in the reviews or send me a message!

And as usual, which twins do you love more for Mayu?


	5. Tired Heart

"I can't believe you've wrapped them around your little finger Mayu!" One girl in the class was talking to her admiringly, as if Mayu was suddenly an upperclassman or something. Mayu's friends surrounded her, trying to get her back, so those two twins wouldn't monopolize their entire friend's time like they had for months now.

She smiled and shrugged. "They're…they're some of the funniest boys I've ever met." She smiled to herself.

A few girls' eyes widened with realization as they watched how the more and more Hayashi talked about the boys no one else dared to befriend, unless for political gain, the more…entranced she seemed. Everyone else had tried to talk to those boys because a connection between the families would be great. However, the twins had shut them out every time. Only Mayu had gotten through to them.

The girl who had been in their class for as long as they'd all been going to school; the cute, sweet girl who befriended people easily. Still, no one would have thought a pure girl like her would ever get so…tainted. Tainted in a way that changed her for the better. She was less shy, which was weird, since so many people liked her to begin with, she was more sarcastic, more witty, and more mature. While those boys certainly made her shape into a new form, more devious and evil then before, they also made her grow, so that she could now knock them into place. She only ever was devious and rude with them. It was like she flipped a switch, however subtle it was.

But the weirdest part was, it seemed like the switch when she was with Hikaru and Kaoru…was her true inner self. And that was what her friends wanted for her. To be who she truly was, and whoever changed her to bring that out, was definitely okay in their book.

Mayu changed them, and they changed her.

"Mayu…do you…" one of her friends dropped her voice to a low whisper in her ear.

Mayu gasped, blushing red as a tomato, stuttering out her answer. "W-W-What do you mean?" she looked down immediately, her hair covering her eyes.

"You know…" another friend dropped in closer, her mouth by Mayu's ear. "The Hiitachin twins."

"Those brothers- Hikaru and Kaoru." A third chimed in lowly, teasing Mayu lightly.

Mayu stiffened. "O-Of c-course n-n-not." She managed, swallowing. "They're just my friends."

"Friends? We're your friends. But you've spent every waking moment with just them lately…" the first grinned.

"You've been hanging out with them since practically October or whatever! It's February! We barely see you this year, because you're always with them." The second whispered, smiling widely.

"And it's Valentine's Day tomorrow. Did you get them anything?" the first put in, raising an eyebrow.

"Or do you have one in particular set in your mind? Have you fallen prey like us to their whims? And chosen one? Or are you indecisive?"

"I..I..." Mayu gulped. "I honestly don't know."

The girls stepped back, knowing Mayu was still figuring it out, and she was just as frustrated as they were by having no answer.

Mayu had made such a big deal all those months ago about choosing one over the other and blah blah, but now…were they really just friends? She had indeed gotten them both their favorite chocolates imported, and had wrapped them up and everything in preparation for tomorrow…but did that mean she was in love with both of them? Much less just one? Who did she care about more? What kind of question was that? As different as they were, the three of them were like a package that was not capable of being torn apart. Wasn't it normal to want to give your two best friends something on a sort of holiday? She'd never given anyone else a valentine's gift before. She'd never even left an anonymous love letter in someone's desk.

How frustrating. How aggravating. She cared about them as her friends, that was all. Her stutters and blush before meant nothing. She went and sat in her seat, and faced forward the rest of the day, ignoring those twins' eyes peering into her back, wondering why she was so quiet today.

She touched the necklace they'd given her and kept working.

After the final bell rang for the day and she had gathered all her things to head home, the twins rushed up to her.

"Hey Hayashi." They grabbed her on either side and began to pull her with them.

"What? Wait. Hey!" she sputtered, but they grinned like Cheshire cats and asked if they could come over.

She stopped. "You want to come to my place?" she seemed shocked and nervous.

"It's okay, isn't it?" Kaoru added hurriedly, seeing her face.

She remembered herself and nodded eagerly. "Let's go then. C'mon slowpokes." She teased, her momentary vulnerability gone. Hikaru hadn't noticed, like usual, but Kaoru watched her carefully. Today she seemed to be putting distance between them. As if she were arguing with herself internally, and wanted to be alone to figure it out. But after that night, during the holidays, when he saw her fear…he just worried for her constantly. He would call her or she'd call him, in the middle of the night sometimes, just so she wouldn't feel alone in the darkness.

Hikaru had no idea. And good thing too, since Kaoru didn't want to tell him. It was the thing that he shared with Mayu alone. Something only he could do. But mostly, he wanted to wait until Mayu was ready to tell Hikaru.

They all got into her limo, and her driver accepted this with ease, and drove off towards the Hayashi Estate.

Tamatsu seemed on guard though, his eyes glancing up into the mirror to see the children in the back though. Was Mayu ready to show them everything? Her home, her life?

Mayu glanced out the window, watching the scenery roll by, thinking about what her friends had said to her in school earlier. She had gotten them both chocolates for Valentines, personally flown in from the best shop in Belgium, and she hadn't done that for any of her friends before, but what did that mean?

She was silent the entire ride, and even Hikaru noticed.

He nudged her once they got out of the limo, and Tamatsu told her he'd announce to the staff that the young miss had guests over, and to make dinner for three for once.

For once? Hikaru narrowed his eyes. What about her parents? He knew from his own personal experience that parents of such wealth as students of Ouran were, that they weren't always around. However, if Mayu was always alone…

Her parents hadn't even come home for the holidays. No wonder Mayu and Tamatsu were so close. All those months of seeing them together, he saw it as strange. But now he realized that Tamatsu was probably her father figure, her bodyguard, the one who looked after her. Later his brother and he would realize the entire staff of the household was Mayu's true family. They weren't servants, they were siblings.

Mayu thanked Tamatsu and looking up to the manor almost depressingly, gathered a large smile and chuckled. "I suppose you two would pleasure a tour?"

They grinned, Hikaru oblivious once more. If Mayu was okay, then there was nothing more to it. Kaoru hesitated though, before smiling with her.

He knew her parents were never around. He knew her fear had arisen from that. He knew how much she hated her house because it reminded her of her loneliness. He knew that her parents never really even acknowledged she existed, except when beneficial or they had to for appearances. Gifts they sent over to her had no value for her, because she just wanted them to come for her. He knew the only real family she had was the staff of the estate, and of course her cousins, who he knew were prominent members of society, but she never spoke of them. He worried so much for her. He cared about her just as much as he did Hikaru, but that level of love was somehow different, since it didn't feel the same as with his brother.

And judging by Hikaru's blind smile towards Mayu, he obviously felt the same, even if he didn't already know it.

Of course, she took their hands and tugged them inside, laughing, covering up how much she had dreaded this day. She never wanted them to see this horrid place. If they hadn't already figured it out, how lonely this mansion was since she was alone…Well, she knew Kaoru had figured it out by now. He was so philosophical, it would be almost impossible for him not to read into her every expression and see through it, especially since they all knew each other better then themselves.

She showed them every room, besides the wing that pertained especially to her parents.

"What's down the hall there?" Hikaru pointed as they walked down the stairs, passing a servant who told them supper was ready.

"Nothing of importance." Mayu brushed it off quickly. "Storage is all."

Hikaru raised an eyebrow. Storage?

They ate dinner in the grand hall, with some cooks and maids just outside the doors, peering in, gossiping amongst themselves how the young mistress finally had guests. It shocked them how well they got along, and that's when one maid realized that they liked each other as more than friends. The boys liked Mayu, and Mayu liked both of them back. The maid blew her black bangs up in frustration. There'd be a broken heart once Mayu made her decision, and it could even wreck this incredible bond the three of them obviously had.

After dinner, the three trekked up to Mayu's room to spend the remainder of the hour chatting before the Hiitachin driver came to pick the boys up.

Hikaru announced he was going to the bathroom, and exited the room. Mayu and Kaoru kept chatting, and Hikaru hurried down the hall to where Mayu had deemed it off-limits.

He pushed open the door to one room, and it was an office. Neat, tidy, and obviously not used much. He closed the door and went a few doors down. He opened the door to find a bedroom. The master bedroom, so in other words, her parents' bedroom. He peered inside, before taking a step in, and noticed on one wall was a family portrait. Mayu looked about 8 in the painting, and her parents seemed almost bothered in the photo. Mayu was smiling, but it looked a tad forced, and her parents didn't smile at all. He could almost tell what they were thinking. Work and nothing more.

He was so entranced and drawn by the sad themes radiating from the portrait, that he didn't hear the footsteps behind him.

"Just what do you think you're doing Hikaru?" a girlish voice sounded behind him.

He flipped around and saw Mayu standing there, looking angry. And to her right was his twin, looking also pissed off, but also anxious. All his anxiety was directed at Mayu though, as if he were waiting for her to snap.

"Sorry, but I got curious-"

"Curiosity killed the cat." She tapped her foot in annoyance, her arms crossed over her chest. "I bet you didn't even go to the bathroom."

Hikaru looked down in defeat. "I'm sorry Mayu." He muttered.

He expected her to say that sorry didn't cut it, but instead she sighed loudly, and she embraced him tightly.

"You're an idiot, you know? You really piss me off. I don't know whether to laugh or cry or slap you right now." She told him.

He hugged her back. "So do all three."

She cried out in amusement, chortling. He held her tighter. "I'm not letting go of you." He whispered, serious, but also amused.

This time she let out another laugh, but it subsided quickly to quiet weeping and sobs, and he just held her close. He didn't know what else he could really do for her. All he knew was that he wouldn't ever want to let Mayu exist in a desolate land ever again.

She pulled back and she hit him gently, but he smiled and just pulled her in again so she would bury her face in his shoulder.

Kaoru watched from a few feet again, not knowing if what he saw was what he wanted, or if he wanted to be the one embracing her while she was weak.

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**A/N: As always which twin do you ship her with more ;) and send in your ideas to contribute to the story to extend it!**

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	6. Black and White and Red

Mayu's heart was pounding in her chest. Her face bright red, she turned around the corner, lost in the high school, and opened a door to a music room. She shut the door behind her, and didn't pay attention to the abandoned music room and how lonely it seemed, before sliding down the door and gulping down breaths of air. How did she even manage to run all the way over to the high school without feeling any fatigue until now? She could still feel it. The touch on her skin and hair…she hadn't been ready for this! How could it be that she had been so oblivious this morning?

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Kaoru was talking to Hikaru in the corner like usual before class began that day, and girls were going around, offering chocolates to them more than any other boy in the room. But they refused them all, only waiting for Mayu to come in like she did every morning. After they had left yesterday, all Kaoru had felt was bubbling anger towards his brother. He was jealous. So jealous, and seeing how effortlessly Mayu talked to Hikaru just kept popping into his mind over the past 12 hours.

Hikaru was just being himself like usual, wondering if Mayu had a crush on someone, and Kaoru almost grit his teeth. How could it be suddenly their roles were reversed? He was never angry like this. He was philosophical and intuitive. Never jealous and impulsive. What if Mayu liked someone else? Kaoru wouldn't let anyone but his brother and him have her. He hadn't felt this possessive before, what was going on with him? Was it just the holiday's air about him jumbling everything up inside him?

Just then Mayu entered and like a rising sun, the twins stopped moving, and watched her with a pleasant smile. She acknowledged her other friends before coming over to her two best friends, and as she made her way toward them, Kaoru's chest was thumping, and his stomach ached.

"Hey you two. You guys look sick; did you eat too much candy already? The day has barely started yet!" she smiled sweetly and laughed.

Hikaru laughed, snapping Kaoru back to his senses who had been looking at Mayu in wonder, never noticing until now how her hair glowed brighter in the lights.

"We haven't accepted any chocolates, but you did bring us some right?"

Mayu raised her eyebrows at Hikaru and replied with a grin, "Ah, patience you curious cats. Good things come to those who wait."

"Only self-righteous people who say that!" Hikaru protested with a shout, and Mayu laughed.

"Well too bad. I'm not giving it to you until later." With that she walked off to her desk and took her seat.

"Hey Kaoru, let's play a prank on her together and sneak them out of her bag." Hikaru whispered over to his other half halfway through class, Hikaru was obviously looking at the backpack like how Kaoru was watching Mayu. The way she wrote notes…with her left hand…the way the pulled her hair back into a ponytail after it got in her way too many times while taking a test…wasn't Hikaru seeing these fascinating and beautiful details? Hikaru had thought Kaoru was looking at the backpack, and not her in particular.

Kaoru sighed, putting his chin on his hand. "No Hikaru. She'll pitch a fit and be upset with us all week. Just wait. We're obviously getting our own from her later."

Hikaru groaned. "You're no fun Kaoru. Since when did you get so…angelic?" he mocked with a devilish smile.

Kaoru rolled his eyes. "I'm not stupid, now pay attention; we have a quiz on English conjugation tomorrow."

"Only you would care so much."

"It's my favorite subject; you're the same way about math and science sometimes."

"Nah, I just think Mayu's rubbing off on us a lot, especially you brother."

"Maybe." Kaoru murmured, and went back to listening to the teacher's lecture, but also watching Mayu's interested wide eyes as the teacher droned on and on. How could she be so into this? It was a language class. No one else cared about this class as much as her, not even him.

When the bell rang, and as everyone packed, Hikaru zoomed over, asking for his Valentine's candy right then like a spoiled and greedy toddler.

Mayu looked at him stubbornly for a moment, and then pulled the chocolate out her hand, not even getting to speak before her red haired friend snapped it out of her hand. She snatched it back, Hikaru's excited face falling into a frown.

"Idiot. You've been wagging your tail all day for this stuff. Go, _fetch_." She tossed it and it landed out of sight, out in the hallway. Hikaru sprinted out, but with the crowds in the hall, the chocolate would be hard to find.

"Mayu, want to take a walk? You look like you need it." Kaoru called, saving her from endless pestering by the girls in the class about what that exchange with Hikaru meant.

Mayu's eyes glittered with appreciation and thanks, and nodded. "Sure. Let's bring our stuff; I don't want to come back here late. It's annoying."

Kaoru nodded and picked up his backpack as Mayu escaped from the surrounding crowd around her desk, leaning down to pick her own backpack too, but Kaoru got there first, and she snapped her head up in surprise. "I'll carry it for you." He grinned, teeth and all, and Mayu stood back, eyeing him suspiciously, checking for ulterior motives, but seeing none, smiled back innocently, and headed out with Kaoru. They were walking around the grounds and Kaoru turned asked finally, after debating for a while whether to acknowledge that he watched her in class all day, "Why do you like English so much? It's boring and dull and tiresome. You seem so happy though when you're in that class though, more than any other."

Mayu blinked, and then blushed. He'd watched her today? No wonder all day she felt like she was being followed somehow all day, like someone had been focusing on her all day. She'd passed it off as nothing, but felt uncomfortable deep down. "Well, I could say the same for you. That and lit. are your favorite classes! You told me so!"

That was true. "Do you have a crush on the sensei Mayu?" he wiggled his eyebrows seductively and Mayu made a disgusted groan.

"Don't even be stupid. He's married!"

"Oh, so you would if he were single?"

"No! Ugh, stop twisting my words, you're acting like Hikaru."

"I'm sorry Mayu."Kaoru frowned, pausing in stride, and Mayu took another step but then turned when he stopped and looked at him questioningly. "So why do you like English?"

"Why are you so…emotional today? You're all over the place? Just be yourself Kaoru, that's why I like you so much. You and your brother are yourselves no matter what anyone else thinks of you, and I really admire that." She beamed. "Plus, to answer your question, English is the language to know nowadays in any business, and I have to know it if I'm going to take over my parents' company someday. But…mostly…it's because I want to see the world and visit everything and learn all about other people, meet new people and…" Then a look of remembrance crossed her face. "Oh, the candy!" she ran around Kaoru to unzip her bag and retrieved the red heart box of expensive chocolate from her bag, and then after zipping the bag up once more, she stepped back around to face Kaoru and handed it to him with a small shy blush. "Here."

Her words reverberated in his head over and over. And as he accepted the chocolate, everything fell into place. She was perfect. _She cared about him._

Without thinking, he let the backpacks slide off his shoulder and fall to ground, and he had dropped the red wrapped box as well, letting it fall soundlessly as well. And then, his hands were on both sides of her face, and his lips were pressed on hers, his eyes closed fiercely.

Mayu 's eyes were wide open in shock, having no idea what to do, but her heart hammered in her chest as he kissed her. Her hands were up in the air shaking, not knowing whether to use them to push him off, or put her hands in his soft red hair like he was twisting his fingers in hers currently and kiss him back.

Before she had a chance to do anything, Kaoru pulled back, both of them breathless. Mayu stared at Kaoru, eyes wide open as if with horror, but more like shock.

"I.." she started, and then grabbed her bag off the ground, and sprinted off, not stopping until she got until the empty music room 3, which had nothing in it besides her, a few dusty furnishings…and a single, sleek, black, grand piano in the center of the room, looking desolate. She stood up, and wandered over to the piano. And then, without knowing it as she traced her fingers delicately over the black and white keys, she whispered, "Someday I hope that you and the next person to play you will help me with my mission and make their world a little larger."

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	7. Nocturne Pour Mayu

Mayu was avoiding Kaoru. That was clear, even to Hikaru. Especially to Hikaru. They were a trio, and yet, whenever he'd walk the halls with his brother and see Mayu coming from the opposite direction, shed notice them, and turn on her heel and walk away with quick steps. Everyday Hikaru and Mayu raced to the cafeteria for some reason unknown to the both of them, they were just competitive, and when they sat, Kaoru would come in, see them, and walk out, sitting in the classroom to eat.

Finally, after about 3 weeks of this nonsense, Hikaru was losing his mind. No one would tell him anything, and both parties would change the subject cleverly if Hikaru brought up the other one missing from their group. If his friends weren't going to make up, if they weren't going to tell him anything- he'd just have to make them. He considered pranking them, but knew Mayu would just get angry and Kaoru would figure it out anyway.

So, finally, after Kaoru disappeared from the lunchroom once again, Hikaru shoved his chair back and stood; Mayu stopped eating her sandwich mid-bite and looked up at him curiously.

Hikaru's heart pounded. That was unfair. The way her eyes searched his soul. He felt like every action he did would be analyzed by her, and it scared him. He wanted to impress her, to surprise her, to make her happy…and Hikaru didn't understand why. Her eyes narrowed and he gulped inwardly but stared back.

"You two are acting like children." He put simply, which was extremely surreal for him to do so.

Mayu's eyes widened, because she knew that was weird of him to do too. She shook her head, swishing her ponytail, "Hikaru, you're the most childish of us all-"

"But someone has to step up and be the adult here. I can't believe I put up with this for this long. I've been agonizing over this for almost a month, but you two can't be together anymore, and it's not like we can actually hang out anymore, because it's just awkward! If you guys aren't going to tell me what happened, I'll find out on my own!" Mayu looked down, turning beet red; as if the thing she was hiding was something she would die for, if it meant Hikaru would not find out. A part of Hikaru wanted to smile and tease her somewhat flirtatiously, but the overwhelming majority told him to go to the classroom and drag Kaoru back by his heels.

He exited the room with a determined stony expression on his face, and Mayu stared after him, swallowing the food shed bitten, and then gaping at him.

If Hikaru ever found out that Kaoru had kissed her…there'd be hell to pay for it. The only possible outcomes Mayu foresaw in her head were bad ones, so it didn't look very good.

It was actually sad that she hadn't talked to the philosopher of her two best friends for so long. It was already like, March 8. It was almost pathetic. Mayu knew Hikaru was right. Kaoru and her were both acting like immature little children, avoiding and ignoring each other like this, as if the problem and awkwardness would simply disappear if they did. Of course, that wasn't the case, in fact, it was quite the opposite. If they confronted each other and sorted this out beforehand, maybe it wouldn't have been so bad. But the distance and reluctancy made it so much worse, to the point where they had stuck Hikaru in the middle of it all. Mayu slumped back in her head and closed her eyes. How incredibly foolish and juvenile Kaoru and she were. They had left their best friend to be tugged in two separate directions, to be stressed to the point of breaking, and they were too selfish and self-absorbed to even realize Hikaru's pain. It must be awful, to be stuck between two friends like that. And to have no idea or slightest clue to what was going on, just made it even more agonizing.

Mayu groaned and put her head forward on the table, banging it in frustration. What was Hikaru going to do? Mayu just didn't know what to herself to resolve this. She cared so much for the twins. More than it was healthy to feel for a simple friend, but she didn't know what she comfortable with. She didn't know who she liked more, or if she were willing to risk their trio for something as silly as a relationship.

Meanwhile. Hikaru was stalking down the hallway with purpose. He got to the class, and slammed the door open with one hand.

Kaoru looked up from his desk in surprise. "Hikaru, what-"

"Let's go idiot. I'm tired of this." Hikaru grabbed his twin by the collar of his uniform and dragged him, and Kaoru was barely able to grab his lunch before they were gone from the room.

"Hikaru, you can let go now." Kaoru gasped, not wanting to be dragged along.

Hikaru glared back at his brother. He let his brother breathe, but he grabbed Kaoru's wrist tightly so Kaoru wouldn't run back to the class.

"I know what you're doing, and why you're angry, but Hikaru, you don't get it-"

"Then kindly explain it to me! We're friends! And because of you, everything is falling apart. I like Mayu a lot! And you're screwing up everything! It's March! And you two have been acting funny since Valentine's Day." It didn't click in Hikaru's head what he had just said. "I gobbled up my candy as soon I got it, but you just shoved it into a closet, and left it there." As if Kaoru had not wanted to be reminded of Mayu, as if he could put her out of mind just by closing his eyes to her.

Kaoru was silent.

"Kaoru." Hikaru sighed, irritated.

"Hikaru, it's just-"

"You're going to sit with us today, you two are going to put this whole thing behind us, and we're going to go back to the way we used to be." Hikaru's voice trembled slightly, and they entered the cafeteria once more and crossed the room to their table and sat down. Mayu picked up her head and looked down nervously, just as Kaoru did the same.

"Even if you two won't tell me, just move on from it already. No fight is worth this estrangement, idiots. It's just stupid." The table ate in silence for a few minutes, before Hikaru stood up, slamming his hands on the table. "I'm going back to the class, and if you two haven't talked out your differences by then- I…I'm not talking to either of you until you make up!" Hikaru burst out, and then hurried out of the room.

The other two stared after him wide-eyed then looked down at their laps once more.

"Hikaru's right." Mayu said finally.

Kaoru snapped his head up; amazed she was actually talking to him. She didn't pick her head up though to look at him. She kept speaking. "We're acting stupid. And all we've done is hurt him. We never meant to, we can agree on that much…So…we should just go back to the way it was. Do what Hikaru says…" she paused. "And just forget that…that thing ever happened! We're a trio, we're friends, and that's all we'll ever be."

Kaoru held his breath as she spoke, his heart breaking, but his face was stoic. He nodded, noticing she was waiting for him to answer her. "Let's put this all behind us, for Hikaru."

"Yes, what happened on Valentine's Day was a mistake. A simple mistake, swept up in the heat of the moment, and that is all."

Kaoru gulped. What he didn't know what Mayu's hands were gripping the hem of her uniform skirt, shaking, as she kept her head down, so Kaoru wouldn't see her eyes were red and puffy. She cared about Kaoru, and wanted to fix this, but why did it feel as if she were breaking up with him or something?

Kaoru stared. "Done." He would forfeit his feelings if it meant Mayu and Hikaru could be happy once more, and that they could all be friends again. It was simply a part of who he was.

Mayu took a deep breath, and blinked away any trace that she was upset, and used her hand to wipe away any trace of tear, but made it to look as if she were simply brushing her hair back behind her ear. Every rich person had a façade, and she was no different from the rest. But now, she was hiding things from her closest friends as well. It seemed so long ago they had gone horseback riding at the Hitachiin estate.

She stood from her chair and announced she was going to talk to Hikaru now. Kaoru offered to come, but she shook her head. "Finish eating first. You've barely touched your lunch." And with that, she was gone.

"Hikaru!" she called, seeing a familiar head of red hair farther up the hallway.

He turned and saw her smiling. "Hey!" she grinned. "We made up!"

Hikaru studied her for a moment, not believing how easy that was, but if Mayu could act that well, she was another species.

"Kaoru's just finishing up his lunch. Let's take a walk! I want to show you something." She pulled him along; out of the building and laughing she tugged him all the way to the high school.

The older kids seemed shocked at the two middle schoolers, but didn't bother stopping them. Mayu skipped down the hall, and as they went up more staircases and down more halls, the amount of people thinned.

Finally, they stopped in front of a music room, in an abandoned part of the school.

"C'mon!"

Hikaru grinned at her new rebellious attitude, and suddenly he realized something. He'd known it all along really, but seeing her so carefree and happy as they went on this adventure…it actually opened his eyes. It took months, but he was finally able to appreciate his like for her…romantically.

They entered the room, and in the center of the room was a black, sleek grand piano.

"How did you find this?" Hikaru looked around.

Mayu paused for a second as she sat down at the piano. She then regained her composure and shrugged. "Exploring."

"Mayu-"

"Hikaru, let me play for you. I just want to forget."

Forget what? Hikaru wanted to know, but he'd rather indulge Mayu. She stroked her fingers gently and swiftly across the piano as she played a cheerful but sad tune that Hikaru had never heard before.

He listened intently, thinking he would never hear anyone play the piano as beautifully as she did ever again in his entire lifetime.

Once the final note drifted off, she looked up at him and stated, "It's original, I've been working on it for a while. I just wanted to make a song that speaks to me…that is me."

"Well you succeeded. It seemed like you were saying more than you could ever say about yourself then." He came around and pulled Mayu's hand tenderly and she stood, meeting his gaze.

"You're being so mature. Are you sure you're not Kaoru?" she joked and they both laughed for a moment.

The laughs quieted down, and all was eerily silent as they stared at each other.

Before Hikaru knew it, his lips were on Mayu's, and she was kissing him back.

Mayu was shocked once more. Was she sending signals or something? Didn't boys ask permission to kiss a girl anymore? Not wanting to hurt his feelings like she had Kaoru, she waited until he pulled back, but Mayu didn't smile or blush. Instead she just stared blankly at Hikaru.

Hikaru immediately tensed. Was it too soon? Did she not feel the same way? It was impulsive and stupid of him to do such a thing!

Mayu didn't say a word, and her expression didn't change, all she did, was turn and head towards the door.

As she opened the door, Hikaru watched sadly, not wanting her to go, but not wanting to tie her down either.

He turned to the piano once the door clicked shut, and kicked over the chair. What a fool he was. This room, this piano…it changed him, and he didn't like it one bit.

* * *

**About 2 chapters to go! So this story will be done by February! :O Maybe March ;)**

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	8. The Past is Painful

"Mayu?" Kaoru asked as she sped past him into the bathroom. She ignored him, and Kaoru could have sworn her eyes were glistening with tears.

He knocked on the door and gently called her name. She didn't answer and he worried. Maybe she crawled out the window in an effort to escape? After all, even if they had technically made-up, maybe it was only an act on her part, a façade for Hikaru. Why on earth was she crying? And did she seem so out of breath? Last he had seen her, she'd gone off to find Hikaru and tell him that the situation between Kaoru and her had been resolved. His fists clenched at the thought of his twin making Mayu cry. What could he have possibly said to make her upset? She was tough as nails when it came to them. She didn't like to show weakness.

She locked up all her weaknesses in a far away wing of her home and hid all her insecurities in her heart for she knew there was no way the world could fix them. So she did her best to hide them. Kaoru loved her despite all of that. He loved her for everything she was. Whether beating them at their own game, or being so carefree as to have a spontaneous equestrian race before dinner, or eating all the food in the kitchen with only the light of the fridge to illuminate their faces in the middle of the night…She was beautiful. The way she looked out the window during class and admired the beauty of the world, the little light smile she got when it snowed or when cherry blossoms flew around in the breeze…that was he would smile at her. And Hikaru did it too without even realizing. They just always had to like the same things, and this time there wasn't more of it to share. What if this ever happened again? Would his relationship with his brother teeter over the edge? It was unstable already as it was. Since Valentine's Day…

Mayu was his 'sakura.' He rarely called her that anymore, but that was still what she was to him, even if she rejected him a thousand times. He'd protect his princess, and save her from the monophobia and everything else that threatened her happiness…even it meant saving her from his brother, which he hoped he would never have to do.

The way she spoke, laughed and cried, all with such sarcasm and wit and emotion had him wrapped around her finger. How she thought so often about making everyone proud, how she would take over her family's company someday, how much she cared for Hikaru and him…it was gripping. She had made it her mission to get them to open up to someone other than themselves, and it was working. They trusted her almost more than they trusted themselves. He couldn't explain further how much he loved Mayu…he just did. There were no words for how beautiful she was to him. She opened up his world…and she had become that world. In less than a year, she had done that to both of the twins.

"Mayu…I'm coming in." he sighed after standing there for what seemed like forever, long after the bell had rung and everyone had headed into their classrooms. He pushed open the door and entered the girls bathroom and noticed it wasn't the frilly haven he' expected. It was just another Ouran bathroom, which was very different from a regular school bathroom, but still.

He had sniffling in one of the stalls and walked over. "Mayu-"

He didn't have time to say anything else as Mayu came out of the stall and threw herself into Kaoru's arm and crying into his white and gold uniform.

He embraced her back and soothed her, leading her to grip on even tighter. It was like there had never been any awkward fight at all.

They stayed like that for a while, and he closed his eyes, only wanting to feel her arms as they snaked around his torso and gripped him tighter than a teddy bear. He smiled and whispered in her ear, "I love you Mayu." And that was when it all went wrong.

She tensed, she froze and pulled back. Something in her eyes told him she wanted to say the same back, but she wasn't into it wholeheartedly, probably because she had fallen for Hikaru just as much, or she just didn't know how to say it because she wasn't ready yet. She tried to get them to open up their world, but shied away from opening up her own view, which was really quite sad. Perhaps she had begun this whole thing as an effort to try to open up her world as well, hoping that by getting the spiteful twins to be more optimistic…that she would in turn be so too.

"I…I thought…" she shook her head and ran out. Kaoru stayed put and let her go. So now he and Hikaru had both made her cry…in the same day nonetheless.

He headed back to the classroom and noted Mayu's empty seat in front of him. Hikaru looked downcast, so he was obviously feeling bad about whatever had happened between him and Mayu earlier…

"Mr. Hiitachin, do you have an excuse for why you are late" the teacher asked and Kaoru shook his head, and proceeded to take his seat.

Everyone stared then. Kaoru should have made some witty and sarcastic remark about how precious lunchtime was or something…both twins were down and Mayu was nowhere to be seen…had the three had a falling-out of some sort?

Hikaru groaned. Everyone in the class must have thought the worst happened between the trio, and after that dramatic showing at lunch and all the tension, they would appear to be right.

He had to apologize to Mayu for kissing her. He loved her. He knew that now. He couldn't exactly be blind to it anymore.

"What. Did. You. Do. To. Her?" Kaoru spat under his breath and Hikaru flinched. So she had gone crying to Kaoru? Maybe she liked him more? Hikaru's fists clenched. He should let his brother take her, he obviously loved Mayu just as much, if not more….and perhaps he was better for Mayu, Kaoru was the kinder and gentler of the pair. Kaoru was always willing to give up something for Hikaru, couldn't Hikaru do the same for his brother?

"…I kissed her, and she ran out on me." Hikaru admitted quietly.

Kaoru's eyes widened, "You did it too?"

"What do you mean 'too'?" Hikaru narrowed his eyes at his brother.

"Well…"

The truth hit him in the face. Hikaru was so blind! That's why it had been awkward between Mayu and Kaoru since mid-February! He had kissed her on Valentine's Day and while she didn't reject him, she didn't seem to return the feelings either. Living in a state of not knowing was more petrifying for him than her already turning him down!

He sighed and ran his hand through his bright red hair. Why was it called red anyway. Redheads clearly had orange hair. Could the day get any more frustrating?

They called Mayu after school, but she wouldn't pick up.

So, with her homework as an excuse, they headed to her place. Once they got there however, they were stuck on what to say. They held all the work she'd missed after she seemingly left school after lunch, and rang the doorbell. A maid answered and looked at the boys sadly.

"Miss Mayu is not feeling well. She has requested we turn away all visitors."

"We have her homework." The boys held it out and Tamatsu, Mayu's personal bodyguard and driver walked by and took it from them.

"Thank you boys…Is your driver here? Do you need a ride?" he looked at them through his dark sunglasses, so the boys couldn't see how Tamatsu's eyes were full of pity for the children.

The twins shook their heads and turned to go. "Our driver is waiting for us, though thank you. Bye!" the boys waved over their shoulders and headed back to the limousine waiting for them when they heard a sad, tragic little melody playing on a grand piano somewhere in the house. It sounded full of heartbreak and pain and loss. Hikaru recognized it immediately as the song she had played for him earlier that day and looked up. She was in her parents' room; the sound was coming from that wing.

He wished he could climb up the side of the house and save her from herself. She had locked herself away in her tower and hid in the room that caused her the most pain…he yearned to soothe her, he needed to comfort her…but Kaoru put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head, knowing what his brother was thinking…probably because he wanted to do the same as well. The pair got in their car and left, not mentioning Mayu because it was a topic that could easily tear them apart.

Mayu meanwhile played upstairs, tears blurring her vision as she played through the notes once more, facing that awful emotionless and cold portrait. Her melody was her…how she felt everyday when she was alone. She hadn't played it recently, because of all that the twins had given her…but now…she was worse off than when she started.

Who did she love? She never planned on falling in love with either one of them when she wrote that fake confession to them. She didn't ever believe she'd fall in love with both of them; she didn't believe that these two boys could claim equal halves of her heart. She closed her eyes and kept playing, new notes subconsciously coming from her fingers to the keys, producing an even more heartbreaking, loss of love type of tune. Confused and alone is all she'd ever been…And by trying to sort out her feelings for the twins…she ended up even more alone than before.

She skipped school for about a week and went back on 16. She had completed all assignments, largely due in part to the boys delivering her things to her every day after school. She never met them once though. The princess stayed up in her tower. Tamatsu or another servant would be the middleman and would turn away the boys each day and then proceed to bring up the assignments to Mayu.

"They're worried about you Miss Mayu…they love you a lot, those boys…to come back each day hoping that you'll see them and speak with them." A maid told her as she set down the assignments on the desk nearby as Mayu sat at the piano listlessly, staring at her younger self in the portrait.

Mayu saw them sometimes. She would stop playing when she heard their car roll into the driveway and would go to the open window to hear what they would have to say.

Each day they seemed more and more sad, she could tell just by listening to their voices when they would be turned away from the house once more.

Sometimes she'd see their red hair for a second out of the window, but that was it.

Finally Tamatsu came in on the eve of the 15th and told her enough was enough and she had to go back to Ouran.

"Tamatsu…." She had called out sternly as he was leaving the room.

He paused in the doorway, "Yes?"

Mayu broke her gaze from the horrid painting and turned to him. "Thank you."

Tamatsu blinked and then smiled softly, and then bowed. "Of course Mayu. You know you're like a daughter to me."

The next thing that happened shocked Tamatsu, as Mayu had run into him, clutching at his attire and wept. If she didn't have Hikaru and Kaoru, or any parents around…there would always be Tamatsu.

"I think it's about high time you and the Hitachiin brothers made up. The three of you are peas in a pod. I don't know what's happened between you and them, but they're not giving on you…so maybe you should meet them halfway?"

Mayu hugged Tamatsu even tighter and Tamatsu crouched down to hug her back. He smiled. He seemed to always know just what to say to her, probably as a product from being with her for practically her entire life…

So Mayu returned to school, and everyone asked if she'd been sick, to which to she replied she was fine, and she came to sit in the seat that had been empty for what seemed like eternity.

Kaoru and Hikaru walked in that morning, expecting her seat to be empty once more, but she was there. Before they could race over to her though, the teacher ordered everyone to take their seats, and the crowd around Mayu dissipated.

The twins couldn't take the eyes off of her all morning, and when it came time for lunch, she joined all her old girl friends from before she became close with the boys.

Walking over there and getting fawned over and/or glared at by the other girls didn't seem like the best idea, so they let Mayu be.

This continued for half of the week. On the 18th though, they decided enough was enough. Unable to reach her throughout the day they decided they'd corner her after school…they weren't about to let her get away.

They chased after her into the courtyard and they both grabbed either side of her shoulders and only then she stopped.

"Are you trying to run away from us? You've been avoiding us forever." Hikaru joked and Mayu gulped. She wanted to face them, like Tamatsu said to, but her heart beat erratically and she found she couldn't speak. She turned bright red and looked down. She couldn't confront her feelings yet. Not yet.

"…Mayu?"

"Leave me alone!" she cried out hysterically, she was shaking in place.

The twins took a teeny step back. They knew what she was going through now.

"You love both of us." Hikaru frowned, "So you'd be fine with either one of us?" the words just came out all on their own. Hikaru had simply thought of those love letters…but Mayu was different from other girls…that's why he liked her…so why had he said that?

"No! It's not like that! I just…" she bit her lip to keep from crying out again.

"Just what Mayu?" Kaoru asked gently. "Don't you care for us how we care for you?"

Why were they being so pushy? She clearly wasn't ready for this conversation!

"I do but…" she swallowed, "I can't pick! Not now!"

"Mayu wait!" she began to run off, away from the pickup where their drivers were waiting for them.

"No!You idiots! Why can't you just understand! Tell Tamatsu I decided to walk home. I need to clear my head!" and she ran off, crying. If only they knew at the time that would be the last time they saw her alive.

Kaoru and Hikaru stared after her, knowing they'd pushed her over the edge. Why…surely they could have been easier on her…maybe they hadn't been considerate enough.

Chasing after her wasn't going to do her any good, so they sighed and headed to the pick-up, telling Tamatsu what she'd done and he frowned.

"So she ran off…She's been having a tough time lately but…I don't understand…when she was with you…she wasn't as introverted anymore…I wonder what happened…"

The boys looked at one another, not wanting to explain.

The twins were on the way home a bit later, driving down the route to Mayu's house, hoping to find her along the way when they passed by a closed off scene. There was evidence of a crash, and police were gathered. They spotted something reflecting on the ground as an officer bent to pick it up and their eyes went wide.

"Stop the car." Hikaru and Kaoru ordered in unison.

"But I'm sure it's only a regular accident. Nothing of interest for you-"

"Stop. Right now." They hissed and the limo pulled over to the side of the road. The twins didn't even wait for the car to stop all the way before they pushed open the door and ran over to the scene.

A hit and run someone said above them…an accident…a kidnapping…

They got closer and spotted a book bag, all its contents spilled over the concrete sidewalk and blacktop of the road. A bag identical to Mayu's. There was some blood that officers were taking samples of to run through the DNA scanner later, and then the twins spotted it. The necklace the twins had given Mayu for Christmas less than 3 months ago. The one she swore she'd never remove. It was hers all right. They had t custom-made…it even had her name in the middle.

"I'm sorry, but can I see that?" the boys asked the officer holding the necklace.

"Sorry boys, it's evidence. Looks like a schoolgirl was hit on the way home and the guy took her with him…Can't say whether she's dead or alive…"

He spotted the look of absolute horror on the twins' faces and he stopped.

"That's a locket we gave her…"

"Locket? What's inside?" the police handed it over and the boys opened it the miniscule lock to reveal a photo inside the frame of the locket. It was the three of them…on one of their adventures around the Hitachiin estate.

They bet Mayu never knew this picture existed. They hadn't told her it was a locket, and it was so thin, she wouldn't think it would be a locket traditionally…but it had been custom-made, so the twins knew.

They shoved it back over to the officer who sighed. "Boys…I'm so sorry-" But they were already gone, running away from the scene. She had left them on that sour note…what if they never got to apologize…she could be dead…it was worse than finding her body there…because they didn't know…if only they had known...if only they had been able to stop her…it was the last time they ever saw Mayu Hayashi.

* * *

The climax of the story! :O Was this worse or not as bad as you thought it would be?

There is one more chapter, so please hang tight!

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	9. The End?

"We never found her." Hikaru murmured, back in the present with the Host Club. "Her family didn't even believe it at first."

"Her parents thought Mayu was simply pulling a stunt to get them to come home, so they simply sent some distant relatives to deal with the investigation until it was obvious she'd been kidnapped."Kaoru clenched his fists at the memory, tears threatening to blur his vision.

Kyoya shifted and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "The case was closed a long time ago. By now, she's probably been…" he went silent and turned away.

"Kyoya?" Tamaki turned to his best friend.

"I'm fine idiot…just wish we'd been able to do more for her…"

Hikaru stood up then, shaking, and glaring at Kyoya. "The three of us could have huh? It's our fault she'd dead! She's your family and you didn't even care that she was always alone!"

Haruhi's eyes widened, "Kyoya, are you the distant relative?"

Kyoya groaned. "Yes, I was a distant cousin of hers. And if you knew her so well Hikaru, you would realize that until she befriended the two of you, I'd let her eat lunch with me! That day you saw us together was her telling me she was going to sit with the two of you that day but that'd she be over later to say hi to Akito and Fuyumi!" He glared back at the twins. "I only gave her more space because I thought the two of you would be able to help her! But you pressured her and she ran away, only to disappear! Her bodyguard lost his job after she disappeared, did you know that? When her parents finally returned they fired him for not protecting her, sold their assets and began again with new investments in another country!"

"Her parents were cowards! They didn't care! She was scared of being alone because they practically abandoned her!"

"Maybe so Kaoru, but maybe they left because they didn't want to be reminded of a case that couldn't be solved. They did love her, they were just businesspeople before parents."

"Now I see the family connection." Muttered Hikaru, crossing his arms.

"Hey! Stop it you three! I know you all miss her, and I know she went missing, but you can't blame each other for that. We're friends."

"Let's make peace with some cake!" Honey squeezed Usa-chan to his chest and Mori was silent, watching the scene with pity in his eyes for the twins.

"Honey…I don't think now's the time." Tamaki whispered, serious, watching the twins. How much desertion and pain and guilt had they felt because of this? They had opened up…only to close themselves back down after Mayu was gone.

"Our class…by the time next term started, they acted the same as they always had before Mayu came along…so we reverted back to our old ways as well…hearts under lock and key." Kaoru shook his head.

"But you put a dozen more locks on it so nothing could ever hurt you the way Mayu's disappearance did again." Tamaki nodded, understanding perfectly.

"Hikaru, Kaoru, I'm so sorry this happened to you-" Haruhi began.

"God, it was this room! She used to play the piano buried in the corner, she came here with me! She told me she came here to escape! I was dealing with it okay, but today…I couldn't stand being in here!" Hikaru shut his eyes to stop himself from crying.

"If you guys got to know her…you would have loved her…maybe as much as we did." Kaoru clung to Hikaru then and the boys went silent once more.

Tamaki looked around and noticed that Kyoya was standing by a window at the far end of the room, just staring outside quietly, thinking. And Tamaki wished that he could do something for his best friend and for the twins.

By their attitudes, Tamaki guessed the police never found anything, not even the culprit…and Tamaki inferred that even the Ootori private force hadn't been able to find any trace.

There was nothing he could do, and he felt so guilty about it.

Mayu sounded like such a nice girl who was just a victim of her circumstances and ended up being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

He wondered what it would've been like if she'd survived…if she hadn't gone missing. He thought about what her opinion on the Host Club might've been, how she would've liked Tamaki and his piano-playing, how she would've liked the others…and which of the twins she might have chosen.

Now they would never know. Kyoya's phone beeped with a missed call but he seemed too dazed to pick it up.

Haruhi and Honey and Mori were trying to comfort the twins, and then another beep went off, this time from Kaoru's phone, signaling a missed call for him as well.

Tamaki walked over to Kyoya and put his hand on his shoulder, saying nothing and everything at the same time.

"Shut up idiot. I don't need any of this from you." Kyoya turned to face his best friend. "God, you're so stupid." And it was then that Tamaki pulled his best friend into a hug, not caring that seconds later Kyoya would push him off.

Kyoya shook his head, acting as if Tamaki was too dumb to even acknowledge, and walked over to where the others were, Tamaki close behind in pursuit.

Then, Hikaru's phone rang out, since unlike the others, his phone wasn't on silent.

Everyone jumped, the solemn mood somewhat disturbed.

Hikaru stood up and pulled his phone out of his pocket in order to see the caller I.D and got a blocked number.

He debated answering, since he was already in a terrible mood, but he flipped the device open anyway and pressed it to his ear, answering the caller with a simple, "Hello?"

There was one word in reply. A hushed, scared reply. All the voice said to make his eyes go wide was, "Hikaru?"

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